


Stay With Me

by Flammenkobold



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Dreams, Ficlet, Gen, Implied Relationships, Near Death Experiences, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 09:34:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21072725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flammenkobold/pseuds/Flammenkobold
Summary: Oscar never asked Grizzop to stay, except in dreams. He knows the answer is no anyway.Written for Whumptober prompt 17





	Stay With Me

The dreams start a few weeks after the L.O.L.O.M.G. disappeared in Rome. A few weeks after Oscar pointed Grizzop in the direction of Eldarion, and a full week after he has realized just how dangerous and widespread the infection already is. 

\---

_ “Grizzop?” he calls after him, when he’s already halfway out the door to meet Eldarion. “Stay with me?” he asks, but Grizzop is already gone. _

\---

It takes him a few more weeks to realize how utterly corrupted the meritocratic forces are and he’s running on too sweet tea and not enough sleep.

\---

_ “Grizzop?” This time he stops and turns around. “Stay with me?” he asks him, quirking his lips up to make it sound more of a joke than it is. Grizzop rolls his eyes at him. _

\---

For a few days he is completely alone, stranded in a city he doesn’t quite know, no plan, no resources, no connections, no nothing - except his clothes and his wit. Neither of which feels like much.

\---

_ “Grizzop?” Grizzop stands in the doorway but doesn’t turn. “Stay with me?” It comes out more tired than he intends to. _

_ “I’m sorry,” Grizzop says. “You need to find someone else.” _

\---

He never knows if he’s lucky or cursed for running into Einstein only a few hours after he made a halfway workable plan and a very short list of potentially trustworthy people. Einstein isn’t on that list, but Curie might be. Maybe it’s a long shot but he doesn’t have much to go on. He also needs to find a certain dwarf and a former commander who deserted the meritocratic forces in Dover several months ago. 

\---

_ “Grizzop?” _

_ “I know what you’re going to ask,” Grizzop says and he sounds … something Wilde is unwilling or unable to pin down. “I can’t.” _

\---

It only takes a few minutes for one of his plans to turn into a complete mess. 

\---

_ “Grizzop,” he says. “I know you couldn’t, even if I had asked, but sometimes I wish you had.” Grizzop gives him a toothy smile. _

_ “You wouldn’t have, if I had.” _

_ There is truth in that too _

\---

It takes only six seconds for Oscar Wilde to die.

\---

_ “Are you going to stay with me?” Grizzop asks, mocking Oscar’s previous words, but he makes them sound nearly affectionate. And gods, Oscar wants to. It’s peaceful here and he’s been, well, _ dying _ to get some proper rest for months now - again. But… _

_ “I can’t.” _

_ Grizzop’s smile widens, almost terrifyingly so. “Good man.” _

\---

Oscar wakes up and everything hurts. Someone is pressing a hand to his chest and muttering under their breath. “C’mon, Wilde. Stay with me here, you bloody idiot.”

“I’m here,” he says, or thinks he does.

Oscar closes his eyes and sees only warm silver light.

\---

_ "Just because neither of us can, doesn't mean we won't meet again one day." _

_ "Unfortunately." _

_ \--- _

Japan is cold and damp and miserable and the dreams don't come anymore. But now and again, after a particularly miserable day, Oscar can still see pale silvery moonlight when he closes his eyes. Between that and Zolf arguing with the inn keeper and the smell of Barnes' oiling their coats and Carter's inane chatter in the background, that's enough for him to fall asleep now and then.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Stay With Me [podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342310) by [KD reads (KDHeart)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KDHeart/pseuds/KD%20reads)


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